Pedal-operated unicycles typically have a seat upon which a rider may sit and operate pedals coupled to the wheel to propel the unicycle. Riders of pedal-operated unicycles must maintain stability by managing both their lateral balance and fore-aft balance while traveling straight and turning. Fore-aft balance on a pedal-operated unicycle is managed by speeding the wheel up or slowing the wheel down in order to maintain the wheel point-of-contact under the center of mass of the rider. Steering of the unicycle is typically accomplished by body twisting, as shown in FIG. 1, which involves the rider applying a steering couple c & c′ to the wheel in the desired direction via their feet on the pedals and rotating their upper body in the opposite direction in order to react the steering couple c & c′ with a reacting moment R. This is not an intuitive skill and can be uncomfortable to implement.
Powered unicycles, propelled by a motor coupled to the wheel, have been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,230.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved powered unicycle, or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.